TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
Complete Jewish Bible
Just then, as Yarov'am was standing by the altar to burn incense, a man of God came out of Y'hudah, directed to Beit-El by a word from ADONAI.
Berean Standard Bible
Suddenly, as Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD.
American Standard Version
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of Jehovah unto Beth-el: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
World English Bible Messianic
Behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the LORD’s word to Beth El: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And beholde, there came a man of God out of Iudah (by the commandement of the Lord) vnto Beth-el, and Ieroboam stoode by the altar to offer incense.
Young's Literal Translation
And lo, a man of God hath come from Judah, by the word of Jehovah, unto Beth-El, and Jeroboam is standing by the altar--to make perfume;
See also
See on the biblical-era map
In the KJVVerse 9,186 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on 1 Kings 13 verses 1–10
1 ¶ And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
2 And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.
3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.
5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.
6 And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
7 And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.
8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:
9 For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.
10 So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.
Here is, I. A messenger sent to Jeroboam, to signify to him God's displeasure against his idolatry, Kg1 13:1. The army of Judah that aimed to ruin him was countermanded, and might not draw a sword against him (Kg1 12:24); but a prophet of Judah is, instead thereof, sent to reclaim him from his evil way, and is sent in time, while he is but dedicating his altar, before his heart is hardened by the deceitfulness of his sin; for God delights not in the death of sinners, but would rather they would burn and live. How bold was the messenger that durst attack the king in his pride and interrupt the solemnity he was proud of! Those that go on God's errand must not fear the face of man; they know who will bear them out. How kind was he that sent him to warn Jeroboam of the wrath of God revealed from heaven against his ungodliness and unrighteousness!
II. The message delivered in God's name, not whispered, but cried with a loud voice, denoting both the prophet's courage, that he was neither afraid nor ashamed to own it, and his earnestness, that he desired to be heard and heeded by all that were present, who were not a few, on this great occasion. It was directed, not to Jeroboam nor to the people, but to the altar, the stones of which would sooner hear and yield than those who were mad upon their idols and deaf to divine calls. Yet, in threatening the altar, God threatened the founder and worshippers, to whom it was as dear as their own souls, and who might conclude, "If God's wrath fasten upon the lifeless guiltless altar, how shall we escape?" That which was foretold concerning the altar (Kg1 13:2) was that, in process of time, a prince of the house of David, Josiah by name, should pollute this altar by sacrificing the idolatrous priests themselves upon it, and burning the bones of dead men. Let Jeroboam know and be sure, 1. That the altar he now consecrated should be desecrated. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure for ever. 2. That the priests of the high places he now made should themselves be made sacrifices to the justice of God, and the first and only sacrifices upon this altar that would be pleasing to him. If the offering be such as is an abomination to God, it will follow, of course, that the offerers must themselves fall under his wrath, which will abide upon them, since it is not otherwise transmitted. 3. That this should be done by a branch of the house of David. That family which he and his kingdom had despised and treacherously deserted should recover so much power as to demolish that altar which he thought to establish; so that right and truth should at length prevail, both in civil and sacred matters, notwithstanding the present triumphs of those that were given to change the fear both of God and the king. It was about 356 years ere this prediction was fulfilled, yet it was spoken of as sure and nigh at hand, for a thousand years with God are but as one day. Nothing more contingent and arbitrary than the giving of names to persons, yet Josiah was here named above 300 years before he was born. Nothing future is hidden from God. There are names in the book of the divine prescience (Phi 4:3), names written in heaven.
III. A sign is given for the confirming of the truth of this prediction, that the altar should be shaken to pieces by an invisible power and the ashes of the sacrifice scattered (Kg1 13:3), which came to pass immediately, Kg1 13:5. This was, 1. A proof that the prophet was sent of God, who confirmed the word with this sign following, Mar 16:20. 2. A present indication of God's displeasure against these idolatrous sacrifices. How could the gift be acceptable when the altar that should sanctify it was an abomination? 3. It was a reproach to the people, whose hearts were harder than these stones and rent not under the word of the Lord. 4. It was a specimen of what should be done to it in the accomplishment of this prophecy by Josiah; it was now rent, in token of its being then ruined.
IV. Jeroboam's hand withered, which he stretched out to seize or smite the man of God, Kg1 13:4. Instead of trembling at the message, as he might well have done, he assaulted him that brought it, in defiance of the wrath of which he was warned and contempt of that grace which sent him the warning. Rebuke a sinner and he will hate thee, and do thee a mischief if he can; yet God's prophets must rather expose themselves than betray their trust: he that employs them will protect them, and restrain the wrath of man, as he did Jeroboam's here by withering his hand, so that he could neither hurt the prophet nor draw it in to help himself. When his hand was stretched out to burn incense to his calves it was not withered; but, when it is stretched out against a prophet, he shall have no use of it till he humble himself. Of all the wickedness of the wicked there is none more provoking to God than their malicious attempts against his prophets, of whom he has said, Touch them not, do them no harm. As this was a punishment of Jeroboam, and answering to the sin, so it was the deliverance of the prophet. God has many ways of disabling the enemies of his church from executing their mischievous purposes. Jeroboam's inability to pull in his hand made him a spectacle to all about him, that they might see and fear. If God, in justice, harden the hearts of sinners, so that the hand they have stretched out in sin they cannot pull in again by repentance, that is a spiritual judgment, represented by this, and much more dreadful.
V. The sudden healing of the hand that was suddenly dried up, upon his submission, Kg1 13:6. That word of God which should have touched his conscience humbled him not, but this which touched his bone and his flesh brings down his proud spirit. He looks for help now, 1. Not from his calves, but from God only, from his power and his favour. He wounded, and no hand but his can make whole. 2. Not by his own sacrifice or incense, but by the prayer and intercession of the prophet, whom he had just now threatened and aimed to destroy. The time may come when those that hate the preaching would be glad of the prayers of faithful ministers. "Pray to the Lord thy God," says Jeroboam; "thou hast an interest in him; improve it for me." But observe, He did not desire the prophet to pray that his sin might be pardoned, and his heart changed, only that his hand might be restored; thus Pharaoh would have Moses to pray that God would take away this death only (Exo 10:17), not this sin. The prophet, as became a man of God, renders good for evil, upbraids not Jeroboam with his impotent malice, nor triumphs in his submission, but immediately addresses himself to God for him. Those only are entitled to the blessing Christ pronounced on the persecuted that learn of him to pray for their persecutors, Mat 5:10, Mat 5:44. When the prophet thus honoured God, by showing himself of a forgiving spirit, God put this further honour upon him, that at his word he recalled the judgment and by another miracle healed the withered hand, that by the goodness of God Jeroboam might be led to repentance, and, if he were not broken by the judgment, yet might be melted by the mercy. With both he seemed affected for the present, but the impressions wore off.
VI. The prophet's refusal of Jeroboam's kind invitation, in which observe, 1. That God forbade his messenger to eat or drink in Beth-el (Kg1 13:9), to show his detestation of their execrable idolatry and apostasy from God, and to teach us not to have fellowship with the works of darkness, lest we have infection from them or give encouragement to them. He must not turn back the same way, but deliver his message, as it were, in transitu - as he passes along. He shall not seem to be sent on purpose (they were unworthy such a favour), but as if he only called by the way, his spirit being stirred, like Paul's at Athens, as he passed and saw their devotions. God would, by this command, try his prophet, as he did Ezekiel, whether he would not be rebellious, like that rebellious house, Eze 2:8. 2. That Jeroboam was so affected with the cure of his hand that though we read not of his thanksgivings to God for the mercy, or of his sending an offering to the altar at Jerusalem in acknowledgment of it, yet he was willing to express his gratitude to the prophet and pay him for his prayers, Kg1 13:7. Favours to the body will make even graceless men seem grateful to good ministers. 3. That the prophet, though hungry and weary, and perhaps poor, in obedience to the divine command refused both the entertainment and the reward proffered him. He might have supposed his acceptance of it would give him an opportunity of discoursing further with the king, in order to his effectual reformation, now that he was convinced; yet he will not think himself wiser than God, but, like a faithful careful messenger, hastens home when he has done his errand. Those have little learned the lessons of self-denial that cannot forbear one forbidden meal.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–10. Public domain.
Copy as
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as
Continue studying 1 Kings 13:1 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
First Kings 13:1 introduces a pivotal and dramatic moment in the early history of the divided kingdom of Israel, marking God's direct and unsolicited intervention against the profound religious apostasy initiated by King Jeroboam. As Jeroboam stands by the altar in Bethel, personally engaging in unauthorized and idolatrous worship, an unnamed "man of God" arrives from Judah, divinely commissioned to confront the king's usurpation of priestly functions and his blatant disregard for the Lord's commands, setting the stage for a powerful prophetic declaration of judgment and a stark demonstration of God's unwavering sovereignty.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent Literary Devices to enhance its dramatic and theological impact. The introductory "behold" (Hebrew, hinneh) functions as a literary marker, creating a sense of Dramatic Irony and immediate surprise, drawing the reader's attention to the sudden, unexpected arrival of the prophet at the precise moment of Jeroboam's sacrilege. This also serves as Foreshadowing, signaling that a significant, divinely initiated event is about to unfold, one that will directly challenge the king's authority and actions. There is a clear Contrast established between the "man of God" acting "by the word of the LORD" (representing divine authority and obedience) and King Jeroboam, who is acting by his own political will and in defiance of God's word (representing human rebellion and apostasy). The choice of Bethel, meaning "House of God," as the site for Jeroboam's idolatrous altar is a profound example of Verbal Irony and Situational Irony, highlighting the tragic perversion of a sacred space into a center of rebellion against the very God it was historically meant to honor.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
First Kings 13:1 powerfully illustrates God's unwavering commitment to His covenant and His active opposition to idolatry and unauthorized worship. It demonstrates that God does not passively observe human rebellion but actively intervenes through His chosen messengers to confront sin and call His people back to faithfulness. This intervention underscores the principle that true worship must be defined and directed by God's commands, not by human expediency or political ambition. Jeroboam's actions represent a fundamental rejection of God's sovereignty over all aspects of life, including religious practice, and the divine response highlights the severe consequences of such rebellion. God's word, delivered through His prophet, stands as the ultimate authority against all forms of human-devised religion, emphasizing that genuine faith demands obedience to divine revelation above all else.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The scene in 1 Kings 13:1 serves as a timeless reminder of the critical importance of adhering to God's revealed will in matters of worship and leadership. Jeroboam's motivations were ostensibly practical—to secure his kingdom—but his methods involved a catastrophic compromise of divine truth, leading to widespread apostasy and setting a destructive precedent for the Northern Kingdom. This teaches us that political or personal expediency must never supersede faithfulness to God's commands. Leaders, in particular, bear a heavy responsibility to guide their people in true worship and obedience, as their actions have far-reaching spiritual consequences for generations. For individuals, this verse calls for vigilance against any form of "self-made religion" or syncretism, where elements of faith are mixed with human traditions, worldly desires, or personal convenience. Our worship must be pure, offered in spirit and truth, founded solely on God's word, and not on what is convenient, popular, or politically advantageous. It also encourages us to be attentive to God's voice, even when it comes from unexpected sources or challenges comfortable norms, recognizing that divine truth often confronts human comfort.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who was this "man of God" from Judah, and why is he unnamed?
Answer: The text does not identify the "man of God" by name, which is a common literary device in the Bible to emphasize that the message and the authority behind it come directly from God, rather than from the personal status or fame of the messenger. His anonymity ensures that the focus remains entirely on the divine origin and power of the word he delivers. He is simply God's instrument, chosen for this specific, critical mission to confront King Jeroboam's apostasy at Bethel, making the message, not the messenger, paramount.
Why was Jeroboam burning incense, and why was this significant?
Answer: Jeroboam was burning incense as an act of worship at the altar he had established in Bethel. This act was highly significant and deeply problematic because, according to the Mosaic Law, burning incense was a sacred duty reserved exclusively for the Levitical priests, specifically those of the lineage of Aaron (Numbers 3:10 and Exodus 30:7-8). By performing this act himself, Jeroboam was usurping priestly functions, demonstrating a complete disregard for God's established order for worship and the priesthood. This was not merely a ceremonial error but a profound act of rebellion against divine authority, symbolizing his ambition to control both the political and religious life of his kingdom, and setting a precedent for apostasy.
What was the significance of Bethel as the location for this confrontation?
Answer: Bethel, meaning "House of God," held deep historical and spiritual significance for Israel. It was the site where Jacob had his famous dream and encounter with God, establishing it as a holy place (Genesis 28:10-22). Jeroboam's choice of Bethel as one of his idolatrous worship centers was thus a profound act of desecration, turning a place consecrated by God's presence into a hub of rebellion. The confrontation occurring at Bethel highlights the tragic irony of a place once dedicated to the true God now being used for idolatry, and it underscores God's direct challenge to the perversion of sacred spaces and practices, demonstrating His active opposition to false worship where it is most deeply entrenched.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
First Kings 13:1, with its depiction of a "man of God" sent to confront a king's false worship, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate "Man of God," Jesus Christ, who came not merely to deliver a word but to embody the very Word of God (John 1:1). Jeroboam's usurpation of priestly duties and his establishment of a corrupted worship system stand in stark contrast to Christ, who is the true and perfect High Priest, not according to the Levitical order but the eternal order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:11-17). Unlike Jeroboam, who offered unauthorized incense, Jesus offered Himself as the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice, fulfilling the need for all temple rituals and establishing a new covenant of true worship in spirit and truth (Hebrews 9:11-14 and John 4:23-24). The unnamed prophet's courageous confrontation of Jeroboam's rebellion finds its ultimate expression in Christ's unwavering challenge to religious hypocrisy and false authority (Matthew 23:1-36). Jesus, the Lamb of God, takes away the sin of the world, not through humanly devised rituals but through His divine authority and atoning work, establishing a kingdom where worship is pure and directed solely to God through Him, the one mediator between God and man (John 1:29 and 1 Timothy 2:5).